ADDING HUMOUR: Jose Mourinho would fling acorns at his players in training

The Portuguese boss hoped adding more humour on the training ground would help to revive morale amid the club's disastrous season.

Mourinho was sacked on Thursday with the defending Premier League champions languishing in 16th place, just one point above the relegation zone, after losing nine of their 16 games.

The Sun claim the 52-year-old would keep acorns in his pockets to fling at players, coaches and backroom staff.

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Mourinho ahead of the 2004 Champions League final, which he won with Porto

“He would walk around the training ground and when no-one was watching he would pick up handfuls of acorns off the grass and stuff them in his pockets”

Chelsea insider

A Blues insider said: “Jose often found the best way to get out of a hole was to take the heat out of the situation.

“It was business as usual which meant training hard but he tried to get the message across that it wouldn’t help to be so glum all the time.

“He would walk around the training ground and when noone was watching he would pick up handfuls of acorns off the grass and stuff them in his pockets.

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UNUSUAL WEAPON: Mourinho kept acorns in his pockets

“Then someone would suddenly get hit on the head by a flying acorn. It was the same with backroom staff. They would be at their desks and then get hit by a nut, look around and there was Jose walking away laughing.